


Blue Skies

by kancake



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Cute Kids, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-27
Updated: 2011-11-13
Packaged: 2017-10-25 00:34:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/269674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kancake/pseuds/kancake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Today, like every other day, you wander your way to a tree to nestle under, leaning your back into it and staring at the sky around the green, green leaves and the little white puffy clouds.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rixsig](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rixsig/gifts).



> Um, I guess this would technically be considered "underage" but it's so fluffy that I don't really think it needs that as a warning. If anyone believes otherwise, feel free to tell me and I'll change it posthaste!  
> Anyway this is based off the song Blue Skies by Jaymay and I just wanted to do a cute one shot kid!Dave/John fic but now that I wrote it I'm thinking I might write one or two more chapters of, like, them getting older. Like, one as teens and one as adults, just short little pieces?  
> For now I'll leave it as complete but warning/heads up that may be subject to change depending on my mood!

You really do like that Dad treats you like a big kid, but sometimes it scares you a little too. You know he would never leave you in a dangerous place or anything! It's just the park, and there are lots of people and he makes sure to remind you to always stay near a group. You aren't really scared of getting kidnapped or anything! You're already 10-years-old and you are pretty sure you can handle yourself by now! And nothing bad has _ever_ happened at the park before, you know! It's just....

Well, it's scary. A little. Just because there are so many people, and so many kids, and no one wants to hang out with you. They make fun of your glasses and your teeth and how you're a little chubbier than them and the way you can't look anyone in the eyes and you're always staring at your feet in hopes maybe they wont notice all the goofy things about your face.

Every time Dad trusts you and leaves you at the park on your own for a while when he goes off to meet someone or do something that's secret and probably about his job, you always tuck yourself under a tree and count clouds and hope no one tries to talk to you or do anything near you at all really, and it makes you feel a little like a dork. And every time when dad picks you up you act like you had a lot of fun with all the other kids and that you're super happy he trusts you to leave you there all on your own! You don't want him to worry about you or anything, and it's not like you don't have friends. You have Jade, at least, she just doesn't go to the park, and you have Kar, too, even if he yells a lot and says bad words and gets mad easy. You like him and you're pretty sure he likes you too! At least a little. He hangs out with you, which he doesn't do with most kids, so....

Today, like every other day, you wander your way to a tree to nestle under, leaning your back into it and staring at the sky around the green, green leaves and the little white puffy clouds. Sometimes you really like these moments. If you didn't feel the guilt of knowing you were supposed to be running around with other kids and having fun and stuff, you would actually really like visiting the park just for this! The sky was always at it's prettiest at the park. You wish you could have a picnic or something, but you guess that's pretty weird.

Instead you settle for watching the clouds drift by, even lazier than you, and the way the sky was just the right shade of blue and how it tinted just a little darker in the distance where you would see mountains.

You're calm is broken by a voice, which is the last thing you want.

"What're ya doin' here?" You jump a little and look up at the stranger. He looks like he's probably the same age as you, except he also somehow looks older. And he has a really weird accent that you've only ever heard on TV before and you didn't even think real people had.

"What?" You ask quickly, panicking a little. His mouth isn't moving at all, it's just this straight line, and he has these pointy shades on that you can't see his eyes past and he kind of scared you. A lot. He scares you a lot.

"What're ya lookin' at?" He raises an eyebrow at you and you didn't think real people could raise just one eyebrow either. Actually you are starting to think maybe he isn't real at all. He looks really cool, why is he stopping to talk to a dork like you? Is he gonna start making fun of you?

"Th-the sky," you answer and you can feel your eyes widening, you think because you can't see his and it unnerves you.

He carefully sits down next to you, but he doesn't slide down the tree or even plop down. He sort of folds into the pose, his legs wrapping into it as he lowers himself and it can't be real. "Somethin' special 'bout it?" He asks, tilting his head in a way that you think means that he's scrutinizing the sky now.

"It's just... well, pretty, I guess? It's it a nice colour? Blue's a nice colour, I think," you mumble back, fiddling your thumbs. He turns his, uh, shades back to you and you flinch away from him.

"What're ya doin' alone over here? Where're yer 'rents?"

You bite your lip a little before retracting the action, remembering that it makes your teeth look stupider. "I come here alone. Sometimes. I guess." He nods like that is what he thought. "What about you?"

"Lost," he answers point blank and you shift a little, hands suddenly fluttering and eye growing wide again.

"What? You're lost? Oh gosh, you should go to the-" you try, but he shakes his head.

"Nah, s'cool. I'll be found sooner or later. It's not a big deal. Why aren't ya with anyone else?"

"Uh, the other kids?"

"Yeah," he answers like you're a little stupid for having asked, and you are actually.

"I don't know," you fiddle with your thumbs again, "why are you talking to me?"

"Ya looked like a better choice," he tilts his head a little to look you in the eyes. You think. You can't really tell with the shades and all. His hair sways with the motion, a really nice white-blonde and it's the straightest hair you've ever seen and you imagine it's gotta be super, duper soft, not that you are going to test the theory. "Somethin' wrong? I can leave if ya want," he offers.

"No, uh, no, there's nothing wrong! You can stay! I don't mind at all!" You answer quickly, feeling your face redden, but he graces you with the slightest twitch of his lips, almost a smile.

"Ya don't seem like ya talk to lots o' people, huh?"

You think maybe that smile was a smirk and you shrink into yourself. "I don't know. My best friend kind of lives far away, and my other best friend is, um, kind of a jerk. I guess maybe I don't."

"Why not? Ya seem like a good kid. Why doesn't anyone ever..." his question trails off and you can see his eyebrows skew a little into something a little scary. "Fuck," he mumbles, which is one of Kar's favourite words too, which is also a _very_ bad word, you know, "people're assholes," you think that's a bad word too. "What, is it 'cause o' yer teeth?" He almost mutters and you shift away from him a little, which seems to make him madder.

He scoots closer to you again so your shoulders are touching this time. "Look, don't listen to any o' them, alright? They don't know shit. You can't let people all get to ya like that."

"What?" You blink at him, all wide-eyes again.

"Bullies and shit, or whatever. Ya can't let people talk ya down like that. Yer probably at least ten times the man any o' them are. I assure ya. And ya know what, next time anyone dares to fuck with ya, tell 'em that if they keep it up you'll get Dave Motherfucking Strider to kick their fuckin' asses. And I will," he's openly scowling now, which you feel oddly privileged to see.

"Y-yeah?"

"Yeah. Seriously."

"Uh, John... Egbert," you mumble, thinking maybe that was all actually his introduction, but he gives you a weird look. "My n-name! I mean, I'm John. Um, Dave?" You smile a little, not even thinking about how goofy your teeth look. He gives you a little smile back, and it's definitely a smile and not a smirk and you're glad you got it.

"Alright, Egbert," he nods, and you wonder if he always uses last names like that. "Good ta meet ya."

"Yeah. You too!" You smile a little bigger and he let's out the tiniest chuckle.

"D'ya hang around here often?"

You take a moment to admire the way he talks again. You are starting to increasingly think it's really cool, both his accent and his speech patters. "Uh, yeah, sometimes I guess. Sometimes Dad drops me off when he has stuff to do. And stuff." You almost ask if he does before remembering that he is lost. "Are you new? To town?

"Ah, we moved in a week ago. A few towns over. Bro had t'visit some chick 'round here 'nd he left me in the car like "stay here until I come back," and like hell I was gonna stay in that shitty ol' car until he was done fuckin' foolin' around," he mutters absently like this is the most normal thing ever, even as you blush a bright red. You don't know all that much about adults and adult things, but you know what all that meant.

"Uh, do you just live with your brother?" You ask for the sake of not mentioning anything else he said.

"Mmm," he hums in agreement and you start fiddling your thumbs again. You think Dad will probably come back pretty soon. You think he only had to hand in some papers today or something like that. Whatever businessmen do!

"Uh, will I... see you again?" You ask carefully, feeling weird about it. You imagine normal people make friends like this easy, but not you.

"Yeah," he answers without even thinking about it, "definitely."

All of the sudden he's being lifted off the grass by the collar of his shirt and shaken a little by a tall, definitely scary looking man who bears a resemblance to him. He wore the same shades, and his hair was shorter but it was the same hair, for sure, but the older man didn't have Dave's scattered freckles.

"Ya little shit, I told ya t'wait in the goddamn car," the man - Dave's brother, you feel safe assuming - bites at him and Dave just crosses his arms like he's having none of it.

"Ya took forever!"

The man sets him back down on his feet and gives you a weird look, shifting his shades down and scrutinizing you with the most shockingly red eyes ever, and you wonder if Dave inherited the trait. "Made a friend?" A big smirk finds the man's face much easier than any feelings met Dave's, you think.

"Shut the fuck up," Dave bites back, which just makes his brother's smirk grow a little.

"Alright, alright. Say yer fold farewells and shit, we gotta bounce. Maybe even kick it up a notch and dare to ask for his number!" The man cackles, already walking away towards the street and an old, junkie car you guess is theirs.

Dave scowls before straightening out his expression again to give you a curt little wave. "I'll see ya 'round. Promise."

You smile back. "You better!"

He shifts a little, glancing back in his brothers direction before quickly leaning down and laying what you think might have been a kiss on the top of your head. Or he just, like, put his face in your hair. Regardless, you turn bright red when he mumbles "promise" into your hair again.

"Y-you better," you repeat and you realize that your statement shouldn't have actually been repeated like his was, but now it's too late. He gives you a secret little smile that looks like what a whisper sounds like before he turns on heel and walks after his brother, his steps too easy and graceful for his young age.

You're pretty sure he can't be real.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright I have decided to do these extra two chapters. Heads up, Playing House will update either tomorrow or Tuesday, depending on how I feel/if I actually go somewhere for Halloween (I probably wont)

Sometimes he still meets you there.

At that dumb park where you first met when you were just little brats.

It's been almost 8 years since that day when you were just some 10-year-old dork with no friends. Now you are an almost 18-year-old dork with no friends. And sometimes, during fleeting moments, you still met Dave Motherfucking Strider at the park near your house. You no longer needed Dad to drop you off there, and you no longer felt a little older for being there all on your own.

But somehow you felt a little older when you met up with Dave.

He still just slightly lifted his hand to you in greeting, poker face in place, and sometimes gave you a little "'ello" with his still somehow very prominent Southern accent. You still almost tripped when you saw him and tried to wave back but you looked more like a spaz than anything and sometimes he would almost smile at how completely stupid you looked.

You would walk together through the park, you usually talked about whatever silly antics Karkat had been getting up to lately. He was still just as much, if not more, of a grouch as he had been and you hardly got to hang out much outside of school since he always seemed to have detention or he was grounded. Jade had moved even _farther_ away than before, so you really only got to talk to her online. You have made a new friend since you entered high school - Vriska - but Dave seriously hates her and makes his opinion clear.

Today you don't feel like you have much to talk about.

Dave is one of those people that you can walk with in complete silence and it doesn't feel awkward at all. It just feels quiet. Not like you don't want to say anything, but like you don't need to.

You really liked walking with Dave, whether or not either of you had words to exchange.

You really liked Dave.

As.

A friend, you mean.

Of course, jeez!

"No big tales fer today?" Dave asks, and there's something weird about his voice. You don't know quite what it is, though, but you've gotten a little better at reading his feelings and you can tell something's on his mind.

"Not really! Nothing's been happening at school besides the usual drama. Like, two girls got into a fight right in front of me. Like one almost backhanded me in the midst of it! It was pretty bad. It was over something stupid, though. Something about being Prom Queen," you shrug, tucking your hands into your sweater pocket. You have reached your destination, a familiar tree, and you both tuck yourselves under it.

"Oh yeah, prom's comin' up here in the near future, huh?"

"M'yup. You know how school gets around this time. Everything's about prom," you sigh. He nods a little.

"Ya ain't goin'?" He assumes.

"Me?" You have to stop yourself from laughing. "Go to prom? With who, myself?"

"What, no one's asked ya?"

"Well, Vris did ask," you see his scowl forming, "uh, platonically. Like, not as a date, just as a friend. Frienddate. But, uh, I said no. I think if you're going to senior prom, you should go with a date. Datedate," you explain.

"There ain't no one ya wanna ask to go?" He sounds like he can't believe this.

"Uh, no. Not really, I guess. Definitely not from my school."

"From someplace else, then?"

"What, no."

He raises an eyebrow at you and you still can't believe he can do that. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. No. No one. At all."

"Alright," he nods slightly.

"What about you? Dave Motherfucking Strider has got to have a line around the block of pretty ladies waiting to have just one night with him, right?" You give him a big smile.

"Yup, all up an' waitin' forever. Campin' out 'till the day of. Startin' World War III when one of 'em tries t'cut in line. All that jazz."

"So you got one in mind to be the lucky lady?"

"Hm, sorta. They ain't really on the roster, though."

"What? There's a girl you know who isn't totally in your orbit? Plot twist, Dave Strider meets the one who got away!!"

He smacks you in the stomach and you give him a big smile. "Dude shut up," you don't think he's really mad about it, though.

"You should ask her, man. I bet no woman could resist your Strider charms! You'd be all like "hey so there is a prom coming up" and she would be like "oh my god Dave Strider take me my body is ready" and you'd be all "well if you insist," seriously! I promise!"

"Ya promise?" A smile finds his lips and it's sort of crooked and really nice.

"Totally!"

"Hey so there is a prom coming up," he turns to you so you can tell he's looking at you.

"Yup, just like that!" You chirp back.

"Hey so there is a prom coming up," he repeats, still deadpaning you.

"Yeah," you nod a little, not really getting what he's doing.

"Hey so there is a prom coming up," he says again, and you see his eyebrows lower like he's glaring behind his shades.

"Dude, what, you look so mad," you laugh a little at him.

"'Cause yer totally a big fat liar," he returns and you huff at him.

"Hey what no!!"

"Hey what yes. Do you not hear me repeatin' this shit verbatim? I don't see them offerin' me their body like it's birthday cake all up in here."

"What?" You squint at him, but even then he still looks really serious about the whole matter. "Dave, uh, are you asking me... to, uh, prom? Is that what you are doing? Um, non-platonically?"

"Man, I don't know, is that what it sounds like I'm doin'?" He wonders. "Hey so there is a prom coming up."

"Am I the girl who isn't in your orbit? Am I the one who got away?"

He sighs like you're a little stupid for having asked, and you are actually, and takes off his shades for the occasion. He levels you with his crimson eyes that you always feel blessed to see. "That depends, Egbert. Are ya gettin' away?"

"A-am I?" You ask back, like it's his question to answer.

"Are ya?"

You play with your pant leg absently, trying not to look him in the eyes even though part of you really wants to. "Am I?" You repeat, and you flinch when you feel his shoulder bump into yours.

He guides your hand away from your pant leg, and for a second you almost thing he's going to take your hand and enfold it in his, but instead he keeps it over his, holding it at bay from fiddling. "Are ya?" He sounds a little quieter, but a little closer.

"Dude, I don't, uh. Are you inviting me to your prom?"

"Does it make a difference?" You glance at him to see he's raising his eyebrows at you and he's also a lot closer than you thought. You can't level yourself with his brilliant eyes just yet, so you turn away again.

"I really don't want to go to mine," you mumble.

"So if it's mine...?"

"I... maybe? I don't know, Dave, you are turning up all this Strider charm and I can't think straight, oh my gosh, would you just chill out or something," you whine and he let's out a little laugh that you feel brush across your cheek. You lean your head over a little, resting it on his shoulder. "Man, see. I am the opposite of a liar," you sigh, and he hums in agreement as he rests his head on top of yours.

"So it's a date?"

"Ffffffff, guh, yes okay. It's a date," you turn to bury your face in his collar bone. "I can't believe you," you add for good measure.

He turns his head to lay what you think might have been a kiss on the top of your head. Or he just, like, put his face in your hair. Either way, you light up like a Christmas tree and scoot a little closer into him, not really giving a fuck who might see you like this.

You can't believe this is real.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some days I wrap things up  
> Today is one of those days!!
> 
> This was a fun fic to write and I'm glad I wrote it and I hope some of you enjoyed it!!

You haven't been here in years, and it hits you with that pleasant nostalgic feeling. Dad has invited the two of you back to his place for the day. It wasn't a holiday or anything, but it had been a long time since you got to visit, what with college and the Real World things all coming at you. In your eagerness to see your hometown again, you've dragged Dave here way too early, so when he suggested taking a detour you easily allowed it.

You are surprised when he pulls the car over by a familiar park.

Kids are running around, and they have a new swing set that actually looks a little less than new. You're 27 now, you guess it was a given that changes had happened since the last time you were here - the night of prom, when everyone else went to the big after party, Dave drove you back out to the park with a shitty old boombox and played you some of your favourite songs you know he hates, and danced with you in the dark, kicking off your shoes and socks to let your toes feel the grass.

Parents eye you a little suspiciously when the two of you get out of the car and make your way through the park. You just had an entire five hour car ride here to talk, but somehow the second you fall into step with each other here, you both find so many words to exchange, memories to relive.

"I was scared to death," you laugh, bumping your shoulder into his, "you were so cool! And I was such a dork! I thought you were gonna, like, beat me up for my lunch money!"

He cracks a smile. Over the years he's eased into showing more emotions on his face in public, although it feels like it's only in private when you get him to laugh or cry or yell. "I thought I was so fuckin' cool," he admits, "I thought if I jus' walked towards ya, you'd be all kissin' the ground I walked on. I was such a fuckin' brat."

"You so were not! You were totally the coolest 10-year-old on the face of the planet, I swear! The smoothest, even!"

"Yeah?" He's smirking at you, and you nod quickly.

"Dude, I only talked about you for at least 8 weeks! All my friends got _so_ mad at me! And Dad always just, like, chuckled and assured that we would go back to the park asap so I could look for you. I don't think he really thought I would ever see you again, though."

"I bugged the shit outta Bro about it. He never wanted to go back around, 'specially after he and that chick broke up, but I'd threaten to walk there so he's hafta drive me down an' drop me off," he hums, and you laugh at the notion. "Anyway, if ya were so taken with me, I wonder why it took ya so long ta say yes," he reminds.

Parents were starting to look less as they noticed you were keeping to yourselves. "I didn't believe it," you smile a little, tugging at your button down shirt, "I couldn't believe you'd want _me_!"

"I made it pretty fuckin' obvious," he notes.

"Obvious as Waldo!" He gives you a weird look, but you ignore it, "seriously, dude, you're hard to read, you know! You were the exact opposite of obvious!"

"Are ya really gonna make me say this, is this really what yer doin' here? I was fuckin' head over goddamn heels fer ya."

"I, uh, jeez! That day I told myself I was going to ask you! To prom, I mean. But I was gonna play it off, like ask you as a friend, if you didn't have plans and stuff. But then I went and said that thing about thinking you should only go on datedates, and I totally ruined it. I was so mad at myself. And I couldn't even dare to ask you for real. I think my excuse was that since you were from Texas, you might be Super Offended and, like, beat the shit out of me," he scowls a little at this. "I mean, it's not that I really thought that you were the kind of guy who would beat the shit out of me! It was just an excuse to chicken out."

"Yer such a dumb shit," he sighs, and you huff at him.

"I was a kid, okay! And it was PROM! It was very nerve-wrecking! You had a lot more guts than me. And a lot more coolkid charm. See if I asked you, it would have been dumb and awkward and you probably would have been like 'oh wow this guy is so dumb I don't like him anymore'!"

He raises an eyebrow at you. You seriously _still_ can't believe he can do that so easily! You've spent your fair share of hours in front of the bathroom mirror trying.

"I woulda respected ya. Man, about time that Egbert kid admitted that he's slobbering for my manmeat," he assures.

"Okay, wow, way to word that there," you begin, "and _also_ you are a big fat lying liar. Admit it! You were totally freaking out. You thought I was gonna say no."

"How could ya resist me? Ya said so yerself."

You lift your eyebrows and lean into him farther.

"Shit, alright, I may have been freakin' out a lil. Just a tiny bit."

"A smige, even?"

"A pinch."

"Man! I can't believe how well I still know this place! It still feels like home!" He pulls you over by a tree, and you're glad to see it's still around. You run your fingers against the bark, feeling its familiarity. "It's amazing. It's like it's our place, only that's dumb. Because, y'know, it's a park."

"Nope, our place," he disagrees, and you give him a big grin, "totes our place. Our names should p much be engraved in the entrance." You open your mouth to make a suggestion, but he quickly cuts you off, "Egbert no, I will not carve our names in this tree." You frown at him, but his choice seems to be made.

"Jerk," you pout anyway.

"I'll do ya one better, though," he's smiling at you, and it makes you feel a little uneasy. he's got something up his sleeve, and that's unnerving when it's a Strider!

"What?" You ask carefully, watching him like a hawk.

"Ya look scared," he notes, and you pull a face.

"I'm a little scared. I know from experience that Striders and surprises are a force to be reckoned with. Remember when you told your brother about us and he said he had a surprise for us?" He frowns at the mention of it. You'd been really scared of his brother rejecting you, but in reality he turned out to be a pretty great guy. Weird, yeah, but he was understanding and stuff.

The puppets, though.

That sure was a surprise....

"No, I got somethin' much better," he assures, "at least I hope so. It better be."

"Okay, come on, Dave! The suspense is killing me, jeez!" You chuckle, but it's cut short when Dave grabs one of your hands.

"John," he's smiling at you again, but it's somehow softer and oh gosh, it's really nice, you can't even imagine what life would be like if that was the only smile he smiled.

"Y-yeah," you gulp, and in one of his easy movements that looks less careful than it does simply smooth, he's suddenly on one knee, still holding your hand, and you get _so dizzy oh gosh_ that you almost fall. This seriously can't be happening. This is not a Dave Strider thing to do. This morning before you left he challenged you to an hour of L4D2 before you scrambled out the door to see who would get to drive. This can't be happening.

"John Egbert," he's reaching into the inside pocket of his coat with his free hand and you rock back a little.

"G-gosh," you panic as he pulls out a little, innocent box, "Dave, gosh!"

He's smiling like you're a fucking idiot, and you are actually, before he asks "will ya marry me?" And you swear to all that is holy, you almost faint. Like, the world gets dark for a second and everything.

"Gosh," you breath, staring at the ring he's offering. It's simple, but it has something engraved in it you can't see right now.

"An answer besides 'gosh' would be appreciated," he notes, and you cover your mouth with the hand he doesn't have.

"Yes! What, gosh, yes! Did you even think I would say no? Oh my gosh! Yes!" He slips the ring on your finger while you're busy freaking out and then shifts back up to his feet, and you lean into him trying to catch your breath while you figure out who needs to be told, how to tell Dad, what to do, what to say.

He wraps his arms around you a little and he lays what you think might have been a kiss on the top of your head. Actually you are positive. Because what the heck else would he even be doing!

You turn your face up to meet his lips, all lit with giddy excitement, and it's only when you pull away and come slowly back down to Earth that you realize some people are clapping for you, some kids are pointing, and yeah, some people are sneering. You teeter on your feet before Dave takes your hand and starts leading you back to the car.

"Anyway, don't wanna be late," he's mumbling, and you can see that he's blushing a little around his shades. You nod and thank the people who are congratulating you, and even get the guts to stick your tongue out at some of the sneerers (only the ones you can tell Dave can take on) before you keep his pace back to the car and slip into the passengers seat, admiring the new edition to your hand.

In little letters you can read that "Promise." is engraved into it, and you smile like the big fucking dork you know you are. "I love you," you muse. "Gosh, Dave, I love you."

"You better," he snickers.

"Promise!" You beam at him, and you can tell he's rolling his eyes at you.

You're so lucky this is real.


End file.
